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Rites of Accord
Rank 1 Rite of Cleansing This rite purifies a person, place or object, allowing it to be used without fear of contamination by the Wyrm. To perform this rite the Garou must inscribe a circle on the earth, walking widdershins (counterclockwise) around the afflicted person(s) or object(s) while holding a smoldering branch or torch. She must use a branch (preferably willow or birch) dipped in pure water or snow to asperge the object or person cleansed. As this is done, all Garou present release an eerie, otherworldly howl in an attempt to "frighten away" and thus banish the corrupting influence. Ideally, this rite is performed at dawn, but it can be performed at any time. System: 'This rite can be cast upon more than one person or object, but the leader must spend one Gnosis point on each extra thing or person in need of cleansing. The difficulty level equals the Gnosis of the spirit that inflicted the contagion (maximum of 10). Only one success is required. If the rite is performed at dawn, the difficulty level of the rite is reduced by one. Note that this rite cannot heal wounds or damage caused by contamination (see the Fianna Gift: Resist Toxin, pg. 127); it only removes any existing contamination. Rite of Contrition This rite is a form of apology; it is often used to prevent the enmity of spirits or Garou whom an individual has annoyed, or to prevent war between septs or tribes. The rite most often involves the enactor dropping to her belly and sliding forward. the Garou may also whine and lick his paws or hands. If performed well, however, a simple inclination of the head may suffice. To enact this rite successfully, the Garou must either give a small gift to the offended individual, or in the case of a spirit, possess some aspect of the spirit in question (for example, a clay falcon if the Garou is appealing to the totem spirit Falcon). '''System: '''The difficulty level of the rite equals the Rage of the target spirit or Garou (maximum of 10). One success is considered enough for a gracious apology, but may not be enough to mend friendships or forgive grevious errors. The more successes, the greater the wrong that can be forgiven. Garou who refuse to recognise a Rite of Contrition are looked badly upon by elders; most spirits will always accept a well-performed rite. This effect lasts until the Garou performs an action that could harm or insult the other. Rite of the Hunting Ground Lupus Garou mark their territory by urinating on trees and bushes. After the rite, no wolf or Garou can come into the area without immediately realizing they have entered another's territory. There is no compunction not to enter, however. '''System: '''Typically, the Garou must spend an hour marking her territory. Special messages, such as a greeting to other Garou, can be left with an Intelligence + Primal-Urge roll (difficulty 7). Rite of Motherhood Fury This simple Rite marks a Fury's shift from Maiden status to Mother status. As noted elsewhere, the title "Maiden" is not strictly accurate; the spirits begin to treat a Fury as a Mother as soon as she becomes pregnant. In some septs, this spiritual change is sufficient, while in others it might take until the child is born, and in most conservative septs a Fury is considered a Maiden until she gives birth to a child who lives for one lunar year. Regardless of when the sept declares the Fury to be a Mother, when the time is right, this ritual is performed. Mother and child are separated, and the young mother is bound -- this may be simply a symbolic binding, a rope lightly draped over her, or it may be shackles and chains. The Mother breaks free of the bonds and comes to her child's side while the Mothers and Crones of the sept watch; when she reaches her child again, the older women of the tribe welcome her. '''System: '''There are no game mechanics to this rite, though the Fury may have to make a Strength or Willpower roll to escape from sufficiently strong bonds. Sweat Lodge *''Note: There is a prebuilt Sweat Lodge found at both Redemption's Road and Spider Lightning. Adren Child of Gaia Noah Mendoca is the caretaker of the lodge at Redemption and Athro Get of Fenris Theissen is the caretaker of the lodge at Spider Lightning. A version of the Rite of Cleansing, this rite specifically pertains to one's own self and health. The rite participants all gather in a sealed tent or lodge and pour water on heated rocks to create hot steam. Sage and cedar are sometimes burned to help cleanse the atmosphere. Tricky spirits sometimes interrupt ceremonies, often yanking things from a person's hand or even disrobing a participant. Ritualists should greet these visitations with patience. If one behaves properly, he may be rewarded with some tidbit of knowledge. '''System: '''In addition to the usual roll made by the ritemaster (Charisma + Rituals, difficulty 7), each participant makes a Willpower roll. if the roll is successful, all Stamina rolls are made at one less difficulty for the next two days. In addition, characters are considered cleansed, as if they had participated in a Rite of Cleansing. Rank 2 Ritual of Acceptance Fury Although a Garou can give up her tribal affiliation with the, the Black Furies have their own ritual to welcome a female Garou from another tribe into their own. The prospective Black Fury must fast for 24 hours to purify her body; afterward, she enters a ritual circle while her tribemates-to-be quietly invoke Pegasus from outside the same circle. '''System: The invocation takes a few hours (the Mistress of the Rite should roll Charisma + Occult with a target difficulty of the local Gauntlet; the invocation takes 5 hours, minus one for every success after the first, with a minimum of 1 hour). At the end of this period, an avatar of Pegasus arrives. The prospective Fury must prove her worth to the avatar. This may involve a test, at the Storyteller's discretion, or it may simply involve a roll of Charisma + Etiquette (difficulty 7). A failure on this roll means that the Fury-to-be must complete a spirit quest to join the tribe; a botch means that she somehow offended Pegasus and is not welcome to join. Should the character succeed, however, she is welcomed into the Black Fury tribe, and will be treated as a child of Pegasus from that point forward. Rite of Adoption and CoG *''Note: Several versions of this Rite exist, for varying tribes (note the Black Fury version Rite: Acceptance). However, the tribes that practice this Rite Most frequently are the Uktena and the Children of Gaia. Any other tribe member would need to have a firm reason why they'd be carrying a rite like this around.'' A Garou candidate for the Rite of Adoption must first undergo a period of testing by a council of Uktena (or whatever tribe) elders from the sept she wishes to join. Similar in nature to the rigors of the Rite of Passage, these tests allow the council to assess the sincerity of her decision and her commitment to her new tribe. The actual rite consists of a ceremony in which the petitioner renounces her old tribe and casts aside any outward symbols of her previous membership, including tribe-specific fetishes and talens. In the presence of all participants in the Rite of Adoption, the candidate changes into Crinos form, symbolic of her First Change. The witnesses then proclaim her a "new Uktena", choose a name for her and welcome her into the tribe as a cub. This rite may also be used on Kin. The process is essentially the same, but the tests are tailored to the Kin in question. Instead of the First Change, however, the Kin appears before the Elders naked, and is marked with the appropriate glyphs for the tribe, symbolizing a new birth. System: A Garou who undergoes this rite begins again as Rank One, with appropriate adjustments in Renown. Although she may retain any Gifts she has learned previous to changing tribes, she must refrain from using any Gifts specific to her old tribe until she has learned an equivalent number of Uktena Gifts. Until she attains Rank Two, her actions are carefully monitored by her new tribemates, and any lapses meet with swift and harsh punishment. Too many regressions to the ways of her old tribe may result in banishing her from the tribe, thus making her an outcast (or Ronin). A Kin who undergoes this rite is divested of all their privileges from any previous tribes. As above, if she has any Gifts related to her previous tribe, they may not be used until an equivalent number of gifts are learned from her new tribe. *''Note: Any character with Pure Breeding will take a penalty to their social dice equal to their rating in that background when making any such rolls involving Garou or Kin who disapprove of the Adoption. (This penalty may last forever; only great acts of renown are likely to convince their peers that this Adoption is not spitting in the eyes of the Ancestors and so on).'' Rite of Comfort of Gaia This rite is performed over a subject suffering Harano. If successful, the sufferer is thereafter prevented from falling any deeper into Harano. The rite does not cure the condition, but simply prevents it from worsening. Harano cannot be cured except by individual quests, tailored by the Storyteller. The sufferer may not commit self-destructive acts after the rite has been performed. The self-destructive actions of Harano are dictated by the Storyteller, and not by the player. During the rite, the ritemaster chants soothing songs to the Harano sufferer. The sufferer may choose to walk out on the rite before it begins, but after it has begun, she must rests (see below) to be able to leave. System: 'The ritemaster makes his roll (Charisma + Rituals against a difficulty of 7); the recipient gains the ritemaster's number of successes as special Willpower points. These Willpower points may take the recipient over ten in her Willpower score. The recipient may spend these special points to resist self-destructive impulses caused by Harano, but may not spend them for any other reason. If the recipient is unwilling to receive this benefit, she may resist with a Wits + Primal Urge roll. If she does not successfully resist against all the ritemaster's successes, she is prevented from taking any self-destructive action until she has used up all the special Willpower points resisting self-destructive impulses. If she successfully resists, she is not affected by the Rite of Comfort. Rite of Hospitality Fianna Hospitality is one of the three great virtues of the ancient Celts, and a similarly honorable virtue to the modern Fianna. Ordinarily, hospitality is given at a hearth, but occasionally it needs to be formally stated in a binding fashion; perhaps the seeker is a rival, or has bad blood with others at the sept and needs protection. In such circumstances, the rite is performed. The grantor (typically the righ or owner of the hall or territory) is required to give his guest food, shelter and resonable comforts for three days, as well as protection from foes (without or within). In return, the supplicant is expected to be the model guest, neither stealing, starting fights nor otherwise bringing trouble to the household. And be sure that even if the offense isn't obvious, the spirits that witnessed the oath will find a way to bring it to everyone's attention. '''System: '''Typically, only the grantor needs to know the ritual. The supplicant formally asks for hospitality, usually reciting lineages and titles in the formal way. The host replies in formal language, granting her protection and a place in her hall. If the rite fails, the delivery seems forced and all present will feel the awkwardness of the moment. If successful, both parties are bound to their bargain. Should either one break the bargain, that party loses temporary Honor Renown (-4 for the host, -2 for the guest). Ordinarily, no Renown is gained if both live up to their ends of the bargain, but if there is an element of danger (guest and host are bitter rivals or even enemies, for instance) the righ and guest gain two and one temporary Honor respectively. If the righ is notably miserly, she gains but one point; if outstandingly generous, or required to go to great lengths to defend the guest (sustaining grevious injury, destruction of the hall, loss of honor, or something equally costly), she may gain three. The Storyteller should be careful that this doesn't become a font of "Free Renown"; Honor should be awarded only if there's something at stake--for instance, being a polite host to a guest that's insulted you or is a rival, or being a model guest despite constant provocation. After three days (usually measured sunset to sunset, but typically stated during the rite), all bets are off: if the guest is in trouble, he'd better make tracks. Rite of Renunciation In this rare rite, a Garou rejects the auspice under which he was born and chooses a new auspice. The rite must be performed during the phase of the moon the Garou wished to embrace. Water from a silver basin exposed to Luna's radiance is poured over the naked Garou, washing him clean of all he once was, including all Rank. He is now free to start anew as a member of his adopted auspice. Well, almost free - many Garou view such a "Shifting Moon" with suspicion. The Shadow Lords and Silver Fangs in particular see this rite as a grave insult to Luna and are loathe to trust those Garou who cannot bear the weight of their assigned burdens. '''System: '''A Garou who changes auspice must start anew at Rank One. Although the Garou may keep any Gifts already learned, he may never learn new Gifts from his old auspice. However, Gifts of his adopted auspice are now available to him. Sometimes this rite is performed for purposes other than shifting auspice, such as when a Garou wishes to give up his name and start over in Garou society. (See Renunciation, pp. 195-196.) *Although a Garou may give up their name and tribe through this rite, no tribe is under any obligation to take them in. Should a tribe wish to adopt them, however, this is usually done through the Rite of Adoption. Rite of Soothing the Scars Fury Black Furies perform this rite on human women and children that have suffered at the hands of an abusive spouse or parent. Such abuse can harm the soul in ways still unknown to the Black Furies, but it is certain that sufficient abuse can open a hole wide enough for a Wyrmling to crawl into. It is in the Furies' nature to stop such a fate, and while it is their ''modus operandi to put a halt to such abuse (violently, if need be), Soothe the Scars is one of the Furies' best tools for healing abuse once it has been stopped. The rite itself is designed to put the victims at ease immediately; the smoke of gentle incense and scented candles should fill the air, and inoffensive, soft music - not necessarily 'spiritual' music; folk songs or children's music are equally appropriate - should play. In the case of victimes not acquainted the Gaian spirituality, prayers are offered to the 'spirit of motherhood across the world', though prayers to Gaia can be said in their place. Memories of abuse are coaxed from the victim, and each one is symbolically cast into a purifying fire. When the rite is over, the victim can begin the long road to real spiritual healing without risking a fall backward into a dangerous cycle of self-degradation. '''System: The Soothe the Scars rite functions according to the normal rules for performing a rite, but has limited game mechanical effects. Typically, this is a subject for roleplaying when the Furies hope to aid victims of abuse (hopefully, after dealing with their tormentors). The Storyteller may elect to give the subjects of a successful Sooth the Scars rite an extra Willpower Point to resist further self-destructive impulses or Derangements related to their abuse, which can aid in the process of recovery. Rite of Teaching Fury This unusual rite is conducted only while in Homid form, in the company of human women. During kuklochoros, the Mistress of the Rite passes ancient secrets of womanhood to her human guests. These secrets include aspects of sexuality, childbirth, and contraception, the primal connection of Woman to the land, herb lore, and physical and emotional healing. Rank 3 Fertility Rite Fury Many Garou and human women lack the ability to give birth on their own; perhaps they were born with congenital reproductive difficulties, or have become infertile due to the influence of Wyrm-created technology or chemicals. In the case of Garou, battle scars and similar wounds often lead to infertility. This ritual invokes spirits of fertility, often avatars of Gaia in the Mother aspect, to return fertility to those without. This ritual also improves any ordinarily fertile subject's chance of conceiving. The Fertility Rite does work on males, but it's almost never performed on them. It also works on wolves, and is occasionally used in secret by those Garou who have access to zoos and their wolf populations. The rite does not work on metis, not that Furies would be so arrogant as to try such a thing. The subject of the ritual removes all clothing save possibly a homespun robe, and sits or lays in an obviously growing area: in the midst of a healthy forest, or in tall grass. The Mistress of the Rite traces a circle around the subject, using the menstrual blood of a fertile woman. The Mistress of the Rite then invokes the spirits of Gaia for their aid in restoring the woman's birthright to her. In the case of battle scarring or injury, Gifts such as Mother's Touch may be brought to bear during the Rite, but those Gifts alone will not heal the woman's injury. System: At the heart of the ritual, the Mistress of the Rite should roll Charisma + Medicine (difficulty of the local Gauntlet) to heal the subject. Failure or botching has no further adverse affect on the target; otherwise, the woman's womb is restored to health in (6 minus successes) weeks. If, rather than healing infertility, the Mistress of the Rite intends to improve an otherwise fertile woman's chances of conceiving, the number of successes should simply serve as a rough indicator to the Storyteller how much more likely it is that the character conceives. The ritual works similarly for men; simply change references above from "conception" to "impregnation" and the general rules apply. Rite of the Black Drink Some nations purify themselves and prepare to speak in council by partaking of a noxious black liquid that causes them to vomit. It is thought that purging their bodies in this manner cleans them of all impurities and thus gives weight to the truthfulness of their words. Despite its black color, many nations call this the White Drink because of its reputed cleansing properties. The Uktena (and later generations) call it the Black Drink and have built a rite around the consumption of this purgative. When consumed as part of this rite, the Black Drink not only purges as it is meant to do, ensures that all words spoken for the next hour are true and also reveals whether anyone drinking it harbors a Bane or other unclean spirit within his body. Those so afflicted will seek to escape drinking the liquid and if forced to imbibe it, will be unable to regurgitate it. Their skin mottles visibly with black patches which last for an hour. System: This rite may only be performed when freshly made Black Drink is available. The drink cannot be carried along and used as a "Bane detector." The point of the rite is to make certain that all parties intend to speak truthfully and cleanly; discovering tainted spirits is an added bonus. No roll is needed to enact the rite, but a Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty 6) allows those in the ritual to notice if someone fails to drink or cannot purge the liquid. Rite of Reconciliation An unfortunate truth of Garou society is that feuds occur all too often. If not for rites such as this, werewolves might be even scarcer than they already are. Two warring Garou who have decided to end their feuding must confirm their resolve in the eyes of Gaia. This also applies if an elder or one of higher Rank intervenes and demands an end to the bickering. The preparations for reconciliation involve clearing a circle of ground, in the center of which a pit is dug. Placed next to this hole is a ribbon of twined hair from the heads of the rivals. Under the direction of the ritemaster, the two observe the three stages of Reconciliation. First is Intent: The two Garou stand on either side of the hole that symbolizes the rift between them. Their arms outstretched, empty hands palm upward, each in turn loudly declares to the assembled sept his determination to end the feud: "Before my brothers and sisters I, (Garou's full name), say my actions have been base. I say I have wasted my blood-fire and I say I have offended mother Gaia, my pack, my sept and my tribe. I declare my intent to end here and now this useless feuding and take again to my heart my sister (enemy's full name)." For the second part of the rite, Substantiation, each Garou must choose a symbol of aggression. This is most commonly a weapon: a favorite knife or firearm. Both items are placed in the hole and buried by the ritemaster. The third stage is Confirmation, in which the rivals must signal their acceptance of one another. As the two clasp each other's forearms, their wrists are tightly bound with their braided hair. The two now join in a single howl of appeasement, directed at the heavens. The reconciliation is complete. If a Garou chooses to break the bond-pact she may be declared a criminal in the eyes of the sept. This rite is also used when larger groups are at odds; in this case, each side chooses a representative to participate. Europeans tend to merely break their chosen weapons rather than bury them. Fetish weapons are never sacrificed in this way. System: '''To attract Gaia's attention, the ritemaster must make a Charisma+Rituals roll, difficulty of 6. If successful, Gaia approves and the rite has "taken." If the ex-rivals sincerely wish to settled their differences, each must convince the sept with a Willpower roll, difficulty equal to his Rage. If successful, the antagonists gain 1 Honor each; otherwise they must convince the sept with their actions over the coming months. Rank 4 Rite of Resolution of Gaia This rite is enacted before ritual combat. The Garou join in affirming their respect for each other through howls of praise for all participants. When the rite has been concluded, the participants will not frenzy against one another in ritual combat. '''System: '''This rite prevents participants from frenzying on each other in ritual combat. In order for the rite to be effective, both combatants must take part in the rite. The combat must also be a Duel - the rite has no effect on regular combat. This rite ends after combat is concluded. The ritemaster's difficulty (Charisma + Rituals roll) is the highest Rage among the Garou present. Each Duel participant (not the ritemaster) must spend one Willpower point. Rite of Wilderness When the Garou feel that human expansion threatens an area of the wilds, they may perform the Rite of the Wilderness. If this rite is successful, the spirits of the land will resist any attempts by humans to settle the area. Small animals steal food, gnaw through rope and leather, and do their best to annoy travelers or home-builders. Larger animals, such as bears and wolves, attack horses or even people in order to drive off the humans. Springs and wells become fouled with algae if humans use them as water supply for more than a day. The wood itself radiates an aura of gloom, with the trees casting strange shadows and rustling in frightening ways. Most superstitious inhabitants of the Dark Ages will avoid a place where the Rite of the Wilderness has been performed. Unfortunately, stories of a haunted wood may well draw the attention of the Church or Infernalists seeking a base of operations. '''System: The ritemaster must possess an item of nature untouched by humanity. The participants in the rite gather for three nights in the area calling on the spirits of nature to defend themselves. Once this rite is completed, the effects last for a full year if they are not countered by magicks or True Faith. Obviously, if the forest is destroyed, the spirits may not protect it. The area protected and the degree to which the wilderness comes awake depend on the GM's discretion. This ritual may not be cast over the entirety of the Black Forest, for example. If a caern lies within five miles of the location, the difficulty of the rite is reduced by 1. Tribal totems may play a role in this rite, leaving a protected area with the 'signature' of a certain tribe, such as ravenous wolf packs unafraid of fire in the case of Red Talons.